tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post7797055335768748937..comments2023-08-25T05:27:50.220-04:00Comments on Always Order Dessert: An Open Letter to the Editors of Gourmet Magazine and One Ms. Marlynn Marroso of Brighton, MichiganAlejandra Ramoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188236667131395996noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-6378516676451576522010-01-23T13:13:29.742-05:002010-01-23T13:13:29.742-05:00I'm shocked that I Googled this bigot and foun...I'm shocked that I Googled this bigot and found she won an award for community service as a nursing instruction for UoM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-6422966090757225322009-09-23T22:27:32.971-04:002009-09-23T22:27:32.971-04:00Well put! I couldn't have said it better mysel...Well put! I couldn't have said it better myselft. Shame on you Marlynn Marosso shame!LetMeEatCake Eat With Me!https://www.blogger.com/profile/01679138504571609346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-68589770406355793642009-08-02T21:34:12.658-04:002009-08-02T21:34:12.658-04:00Alejandra, thank you! I've been using Gourmet...Alejandra, thank you! I've been using Gourmet magazine to write a blog of my own and I wanted to respond to this letter by Ms. Marroso's as well. Now I don't have to, because you said all I wanted to so beautifully. What I appreciated most about your letter was the tact and insight that you applied in your response, when it would have been so easy to be insulting.Mary Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10835231359069293911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-70784526997126108712009-08-01T01:27:38.566-04:002009-08-01T01:27:38.566-04:00beautiful post. i'm a bit late commenting on t...beautiful post. i'm a bit late commenting on this one, but i couldn't help thinking about the thanksgiving my housemates & i hosted in 2007 - in australia for starters, and with 35 people from six continents (just needed an elusive antarctic research scientist). we were even magnanimous enough to invite some canadians.<br /><br />cheers to global citizenship!Alainahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07704731075863337050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-34147417511830035212009-08-01T01:22:45.809-04:002009-08-01T01:22:45.809-04:00Given that print media is a dying animal, I have t...Given that print media is a dying animal, I have to agree with several others who have already opined that <i>Gourmet</i> may have intentionally printed this letter in an attempt to pump up interest/readership. I am not a regular reader of the magazine (in fact, that was the first issue I have ever read, and so my first thought upon reading Ms. Marroso's letter was, "Wow, who knew a cooking magazine would inspire such anger!"), but I have to believe that any national magazine receives enough letters to have plenty to choose from. Pretty bush league, <i>Gourmet</i>...brendonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13440198037662962961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-60358793973352395462009-07-29T18:54:30.825-04:002009-07-29T18:54:30.825-04:00Cooking techniques aside, what would we be missing...Cooking techniques aside, what would we be missing if no "furriners" had brought their food here..These items were not indigenous to what is now "The United States": chocolate, coffee, tea, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, soy, olives, tomatoes, potatoes, citrus, CATTLE, scotch, rum, vodka, sherry, port, bananas, white rice, cashews, brazil nuts, avocados, pistachios (oh-oh, there we go with the middle-east!). The list is endless. What a boring diet we would have. No pasta, no pesto, no pizza for what sound like an Italian name to me.<br /><br />Living in the Southwest, we see this nasty racism everyday. The reader forgets that Arizona, California, et al were once part of Mexico! <br /><br />Our food, like our citizens, is simply an amalgam of everything, and mostly the good things!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-27507942082106928922009-07-28T20:55:54.735-04:002009-07-28T20:55:54.735-04:00I was also a bit surprised to see this strong of a...I was also a bit surprised to see this strong of a reaction to a barbecue in Gourmet (my first thought was, damn, I'm making that bacon adobo) but you should've seen the angry letters in response the Latin American-themed September 2007 issue. Crazies.Kristahttp://www.goodiesfirst.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-87796271965245795202009-07-28T11:52:39.065-04:002009-07-28T11:52:39.065-04:00So wonderfully expressed. I didn't read the le...So wonderfully expressed. I didn't read the letter to the editor, but I already know I don't want to read it, and I am grateful my time was better spent reading your insightful response.VeryVnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00382786797857503808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-545576986200806422009-07-25T05:19:00.594-04:002009-07-25T05:19:00.594-04:00Thank you for your open letter. You said it very w...Thank you for your open letter. You said it very well. I worry about the level of open hatred and bigotry that some people seem to feel is ok. <br /><br />I'm also laughing here, because 'Marroso' sounds like an Italian name. My own is Irish. I'm thinking that unless your name is "Golden Eagle" or something similar, you're probably not REALLY American... whatever that means.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-73225623622243981172009-07-24T02:41:08.131-04:002009-07-24T02:41:08.131-04:00I finally had time to open my issue of Gourmet ton...I finally had time to open my issue of Gourmet tonight and was appalled at this letter too! So glad to see that I'm not the only one who thought Marlynn Marroso's letter was bigoted and small-minded. What will she serve her guests? I guess not the Ultimate Burger with homemade buns from page 40, the grilled skirt steak and arugula salad from page 49, the penne with grilled portabellas from page 50, the peach-lacquered chicken wings from page 56, or the lime-cury rubbed hanger steak from page 60... She claims to have been an off and on subscriber for 30 years? Mostly OFF, I'd say.<br /><br />Thanks for your excellent open letter and for giving me somewhere to vent my own irritation!Nikchickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04499596141296630392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-39166262578224864612009-07-23T22:21:01.954-04:002009-07-23T22:21:01.954-04:00Brava, Alejandra! Well said ... I'm so happy t...Brava, Alejandra! Well said ... I'm so happy that I read this post. Good for you!creampuffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09376062809648515533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-61216673787503259032009-07-23T08:24:40.270-04:002009-07-23T08:24:40.270-04:00How very well written. IN defense of the Gourmet e...How very well written. IN defense of the Gourmet editors, my immediate thought was that they purposely published that letter because they KNEW there would be hundreds of responses. That type of letter sparks readers that may never write in to voice their opinion. And that my friend, makes for good reading. I'm willing to bet that there will be several responses printing in the next issue ;)Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16967409222170903614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-24433635641444939562009-07-22T18:12:11.074-04:002009-07-22T18:12:11.074-04:00Is Palin-esque faux patriotism
And you call this ...<i>Is Palin-esque faux patriotism</i><br /><br />And you call this Palin-esque why?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-60464397039196252002009-07-22T17:59:27.729-04:002009-07-22T17:59:27.729-04:00Amen!Amen!White Toast with Butterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814051183393727864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-23117632252312024992009-07-22T11:57:57.047-04:002009-07-22T11:57:57.047-04:00Radish: I certainly don't think that the edito...Radish: I certainly don't think that the editors of Gourmet agreed with what the writer of the letter had to say, but I think that when not framed within the proper context, a letter like that can be incredibly problematic and offensive. While we might easily recognize it as being such, I'm certain that there are others that would not. <br /><br />There is a difference between printing a letter by someone who didn't like a particular lemon cake or who has had trouble finding ingredients in the recipes, and printing a letter by someone who objects on blatantly prejudiced grounds. The phrase about this being the US, not Latin America, is particularly offensive within that context. I'm certain Gourmet would never print a letter by a reader who used racist or derogatory epithets; a phrase like this one could be read with the same meaning. <br /><br />It is also worth pointing out that in this case, the complaint about the supposed excess of internationally influenced recipes was hardly valid. The issue was dedicated to grilling and boasted recipes from all over the US and around the world, and certainly offered recipes that would appeal to a variety of tastes. To oppose the inclusion of a handful of Hispanic recipes within one issue is absurd and clearly points towards the personal prejudices of the author.Alejandra Ramoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01188236667131395996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-82820379801456751792009-07-22T11:47:11.974-04:002009-07-22T11:47:11.974-04:00Hi,radish; it's the second letter of its type ...Hi,radish; it's the second letter of its type Gourmet published, within a few months. What is Gourmet trying to say? "This is a bad example?" "Aren't you glad we're not LIKE this person?" "Let's publish an annoying, narrow-minded letter and set off a flurry of controversy?" I'll bet that letter-writer has never enjoyed haggis, pork liver and onions or nettle soup. Now I'm feeling sorry for her.Donna Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16904536331777669867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-48958530185883716112009-07-22T11:37:45.245-04:002009-07-22T11:37:45.245-04:00you don't think it was tongue-in-cheek? to ill...you don't think it was tongue-in-cheek? to illustrate how ignorant she was?radishhttp://www.sassyradish.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-22852193855349535922009-07-22T10:22:10.536-04:002009-07-22T10:22:10.536-04:00BRAVO! As the child of a German father and an Amer...BRAVO! As the child of a German father and an American mother, I was constantly asked which culture I liked better and which one I related to more-two questions that seemed to imply that these two parts of me had to be separated and could not coexist within a little girl. I knew that the reason I could never answer those questions wasn't due to the fact that I was a bad, half, or not even an American at all, but the result of people's inability to look beyond their own backyard. And as the faithful front page framer of Gourmet magazine it has always warmed my heart to see the flavors of my youth nestled side by side in its pages.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-83917310514248587482009-07-22T01:21:32.137-04:002009-07-22T01:21:32.137-04:00Hear hear! Good for you for distilling this so ef...Hear hear! Good for you for distilling this so effectively. I am shocked that something so ignorant made it to the pages of that magazine.Danahttp://www.danatreat.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-6013530956423771722009-07-21T23:50:21.585-04:002009-07-21T23:50:21.585-04:00I agree with Carolyn Jung on free speech. But the ...I agree with Carolyn Jung on free speech. But the cupcake letter was just snobbery; sneering at Ethiopian or Mexican culture is just racism (please nobody try to make out the letter writer wasn't going there).Donna Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16904536331777669867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-26412870985742254792009-07-21T23:28:58.910-04:002009-07-21T23:28:58.910-04:00I remember a few years ago when Gourmet had the cu...I remember a few years ago when Gourmet had the cutest cupcake-adorned cake on its cover. For gawd knows what reason, it actually generated a good amount of hate mail. I remember asking Ruth Reichl about this, and she, too, was taken aback by the response. But I guess some people just thought cupcakes were too demeaning or too lowbrow to grace the cover of the magazine.<br /><br />Yes, Gourmet did print those letters, just as it did with the one you're referring to. The magazine's editors might not agree with the sentiment expressed in the letter, but it has a duty to present all sides of an issue. Well, as long as it's not blatantly inaccurate or profane. As a long-time journalist who also has been an editor, I know there have been times I've disagreed with a quote or letter to the editor. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have a right to be aired. That's what free speech is all about. We don't have to agree with every opinion. But we are lucky to live in a country where people can speak their minds. The price we pay for that freedom is that we sometimes hear things we don't necessarily like. But that's really a small price to pay for what we get in return.Carolyn Junghttp://www.foodgal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-73861886904266660302009-07-21T18:28:52.362-04:002009-07-21T18:28:52.362-04:00Awesome letter! I agree, Gourmet shouldn't hav...Awesome letter! I agree, Gourmet shouldn't have printed the letter from Marroso. There are plenty of venues for bigotry and narrowmindedness as it is, no need to take up space in a widely-read magazine.<br /><br />Your 4th of July celebration sounds just as fabulous as mine, with food just as diverse.Kayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05113494166399911997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-31662011225903394142009-07-21T16:46:56.650-04:002009-07-21T16:46:56.650-04:00Good for you. Well-written, well-reasoned. One of ...Good for you. Well-written, well-reasoned. One of the positive joys of being in a country as diverse as the US is the choice of cuisines to delight in and experiment with; I'm pretty much your standard European-stock mutt with a lot of Welsh and French, but I cook Japanese and German and the Cajun/Creole I grew up with in the south. Does that make me less American than Ms. Marroso? Not bloody likely.<br /><br />Congratulations to Gourmet Magazine for their diversity and their triumph over small-minded little people like Ms. Marroso; I doubt I'd find her table to be either satisfying or interesting.yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16885500885656190276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-19205458534848536022009-07-21T16:35:43.003-04:002009-07-21T16:35:43.003-04:00Well, I'd put it the way my mother would: if M...Well, I'd put it the way my mother would: if Missy White Food doesn't like adobo (of any kind) and refried beans (of any kind): "ALL THE MORE FOR US!"Donna Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16904536331777669867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720533874747570790.post-89813348968226595552009-07-21T16:18:46.878-04:002009-07-21T16:18:46.878-04:00Thanks to Ms. Marroso and your blog, I'm headi...Thanks to Ms. Marroso and your blog, I'm heading out this evening to purchase what sounds like an issue full of recipes that my husband and I will absolutely love. We're American, world travelers, adventurous eaters, and the "typical" food that Ms. Marroso wants to see in the pages of Gourmet rates fairly low on our scale of great American eating. <br /><br />Brighton is a smaller city (population less than 7,000) an hour away from my home in Lansing. While it does have a few restaurants that feature different ethnic cuisines (Greek, Mexican and a soon-to-be born Japanese steakhouse), most of the local eateries are of the Applebees and Cracker Barrel varieties. Perhaps Ms. M has simply never had the opportunity or desire to step out of her culinary box and experience the wonderful variety of foods that make up America.<br /><br />Kudos on your blog & recipes. I just ran across it and will be trying out a number of the recipes (sadly reducing or substituting for some of the butter, heavy cream & bacon fat . . . oh to be 21 again and able to eat anything I wanted and never gain weight . . .)Willowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11194147183285366936noreply@blogger.com